


Absence and Desire

by Ge0ria



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, New Year's Eve, New York
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2014-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:29:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ge0ria/pseuds/Ge0ria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall, Liam, and Harry move to NY. Zayn lives across the hall. Harry meets Louis in Times Square on NYE. A lot of things happen but not how Harry quite expects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing this for Jess, and I expect no one to actually read it. This is the prologue. Merry Christmas <3

“Come on mate!” Harry yells, bounding up the stairs, arms hugged around a box. A blonde boy reaches the landing below him, a similar box in his grasp.   
“Why the fuck are you so energetic? I can barely move.” Niall places the box down and stretches.   
“Probably ‘cause you ate too much food yesterday!”   
“What was I meant to do?! It was Christmas! Food!”   
“Last box lads.” Liam slides past a groaning Niall and leaps up the stairs to stand next to Harry. 

The three boys place their respective boxes into the new apartment, after a lot of complaining from Niall.   
“This place is sick!” the Irish boy runs up to the giant window on the west side of the lounge, suddenly full of energy.   
“Ah, hello?” Harry and Liam spin simultaneously to see a skinny boy, black hair swept up into a quiff, standing in the doorway. He’s stunning, in Harry’s opinion, or in any sane person’s opinion.   
“ ‘m Zayn.” He says, reaching out a hand to Liam first. Harry picks up his british accent instantly.  
“Oh, I’m Liam.” He replies, a few too many seconds late. “This is Harry. And that over there is Niall.” Who comes waltzing over as Liam introduces everyone.   
“Alright mate?” He chimes, flashing a giant smile towards Zayn.  
“Just wanted to meet my new neighbours really. I live across the hall.” Gesturing towards the faded red doorway with a gold ‘22’ barely stuck to the top. “You’re welcome to come over whenever.”  
“Thanks mate, you too yeah?” Harry swears Liam winks at Zayn before he leaves. 

 

“Are you serious? We have to go to Times Square for New Years! It’s compulsory.” Niall chucks his fifth beer can at the bin, missing by a centimetre. Harry did not want to go. Nope. He was completely content with staying home and watching movies on his laptop. Bringing in the new year by himself. With no desire to watch hundreds of happy couples making out at midnight, he had profusely declined Niall’s plans and luckily Liam was backing him up.  
“Come’n Li. Zayn said he’d like t’ go. Said he moved in after New Years. Di’nt get the chance last year.” Harry swears Liam’s eyes light up at that.  
~Fuck you~ Harry mouth towards Niall, whose response is to chuck an empty can at him.  
“I think it could be fun.” Liam decides to say, after furrowing his face in intense deliberation. To which Harry answers with a loud sigh and an extremely exaggerated fine. 

 

Before he knows it, Harry’s been dragged into a taxi by a drunk Niall and squished in between Liam and Zayn who seem to forget he isn't just part of the furniture. The taxi driver takes them as close to Time Square as he can, which isn't very close at all really and by the time they make it close to the main stage, Niall has disappeared on a quest for more booze, and Liam has mysteriously vanished, with Zayn in tow.   
“Well this is just fucking fantastic.” He says to no one in particular, angry at himself for being dragged into the centre of New York only to be left alone. He thinks no one has heard him over the music, when someone nudges up next to him.  
“Been ditched too I see? Or did you come alone?” A decidedly british accent escapes the boys mouth. When he turns to look at Harry, he pushes his fringe to the side and grins up at him.   
“Yeah, my mates forced me to come and then left me to fend for myself.” He juts out his bottom lip in a mock puppy face.   
“Aw, poor baby.” The boy plays along copying Harry’s face. “You live in New York too?”  
“Just moved in last week actually. How long have you lived here?” Harry shoves his hands in his pockets. He usually doesn’t get nervous around anyone, especially not around cute boys.  
“About a year now. Practically home. ‘m Louis by the way” Louis. Of course he was a Louis.   
“M’ name’s Harry.” He says just as people begin to cheer something in unison. It takes Harry a few seconds to realise it’s almost midnight and everyone’s counting.   
Four...Three...Two…  
Harry glances at Louis, a tiny bit of hope that he’d get a midnight kiss after all, from a very cute boy nonetheless. Louis looks back at him, swaying on his toes.   
One...Happy New Year!  
Niall blunders up to Harry just as he inches toward Louis, smacking a drunken kiss on him, and then on Louis, who doesn’t seem shocked, but thoroughly amused.   
“Steady on mate!” Louis calls out to Niall as he blunders away through the crowd. “You know him?”  
“Yeah he’s m’ roommate. Irish you know.”   
“Ah. That explains it. Well it was nice meeting you Harry, but I better go find me mates and grab a taxi. See you round, yeah?” Before Harry can even ask for his number, he vanishes into the crowd. Dammit. 

After that Harry doesn’t really care how the others get home, so he grabs a taxi finally and heads back without them, crawling into bed and trying to forget his almost-midnight-kiss.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Louis cross paths again, perhaps with a better result..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has taken so long, I have bad time management. It's relatively short because I don't like writing the boring bits in between the main parts of the chapter :P Hope you like it :) Next update should be quicker <3

Harry loves looking at all of the buildings and skyscrapers in New York. It had taken him a few weeks, but the perfect café had finally appeared. He could go down the back, huddle up in the corner booth with his coffee and admire the buildings. Today, he was sketching new designs for his internship when someone placed two coffees on his table.  
“Watcha doodling there, Curly?” Shit. Harry knew exactly who was sliding into the booth next to him. He closed his sketchbook quickly, almost knocking over his new coffee.   
“Louis...”   
“Don’t act so surprised Harry. I know you’re actually ecstatic to see me again after our encounter in Times Square.” Harry was just plain shocked now. Did he really know how pleased he was to run into Louis again? No, that was stupid. Stay cool for God’s sake.  
“I was doing some sketches for my internship if you must know.” Yeah, good, change the subject.   
“Is it alright if I look?” He didn’t let anyone see any part of his sketchbook. His boss only ever saw his completed work and the boys had given up asking Harry for a peek ages ago.  
“Yeah, I guess so.” Wait. What.  
“Thanks.” Louis smiled and slid the book towards himself, carefully opening it and turning the pages slowly. This boy was trouble. Trouble, with very nice pants.   
“These are really good. mate. Thanks for letting me look.” Louis carefully slid the book back towards him, brushing his fingers across Harry’s. Before he knew what he was saying, words raced from his lips.

“It’s my mate, Zayn’s, birthday and we’re having a party tonight, if you want to come?” That was stupid. Louis wouldn’t want to hang around with someone he barely knew..  
“Sounds good.” Louis beamed up at Harry, and reached for a nearby napkin. “Here’s my number. Text me the details, yeah? I’ve gotta get to work.” He clasped the napkin he had been given, and watched Louis take his coffee and stride away from him. Damn those pants.

 

_~_

_Thanks for the coffee :) Red Brick Apartments, number 22. Party starts at 8, see you later?_

_~_

_Wouldn’t miss it ;)_

_~_

 

“So who’s actually coming tonight?” Liam lay on one of Zayn’s leather couches, feet resting on the birthday boy’s lap.   
“I invited everyone from work, you know the kitchen and waitstaff.” Zayn fiddled with Liam’s shoelaces as he spoke.  
“Only so it wouldn’t look suspicious inviting Perrie.” Harry muttered under his breath, resulting in an outburst of laughter from Niall next to him at the breakfast bar. Liam must have heard too because he removed his feet from Zayn’s lap and sat at the other end of the couch.   
“Nevermind. There are so many people coming, it doesn’t really matter who invited who does it?” Liam crossed his arms and slid down the couch slightly.

“Let’s liven the mood a bit lads. It’s Malik’s birthday afterall. Here you go, mate.” Niall sat down next to a sulking Liam, and handed a bottle with a green bow to Zayn.  
“Mate, one day you have to tell us what you do because this is the most expensive bottle of vodka I have ever seen. Thanks, Nialler.” Niall just tapped his nose suspiciously and patted the seat next to him.  
“Come’n Haz, your turn.” He took three strides across the room and sat on the edge of the couch.

“Um, happy birthday.” He watched Zayn open the flat blue box and take out a t-shirt.  
“This is the one I was showing you last week! Thanks Harry.” While Zayn regarded his present, Harry took the opportunity to poke his tongue out at Niall, in victory.   
“I win.”

“If this is a competition,” Liam piped in. “I’ll be giving Zayn mine later, and then we’ll see who wins.” With that, Liam stood up and left the room. Harry could of swore he saw Zayn smile.

  
  


Too loud. Too crowded. Not enough alcohol. No Louis.   
“Stop checking your phone mate.” Zayn sidled up to him and handed him a suspicious looking shot.

“Nice shirt.” Harry said before downing the blue liquid.  
“Yeah, some tosser got it for me, impresses the girls though. Thanks, mate.” Zayn downed his shot too, and dragged Harry out into the crowd.

A few dodgy shots later, the party had somehow gotten bigger and louder, but Harry was still searching for Louis. He wandered through people he didn’t know, politely saying “excuse me” once before shoving past when they didn’t move. Looking out at the cloud of smoke on the terrace, he made his way to the open window, and ran into Louis climbing back inside.   
“Loueh!” Harry attempted to help him through the window although Louis seemed to be doing fine without him.  
“Harold! See, you do get excited when you see me.” All Harry could do was grin when Louis winked at him. “How are you going to make it to your internship tomorrow, when you can’t even help me through this window?”  
“Don’t work on Thursdays, smartypants.” He realised they were blocking the only way on and off the terrace but he didn’t really care.  
“So you’re free to spend some time with me tomorrow?” Louis asked him hopefully.  
“Me?”  
“Yes, you, Curly. I think you have a nice bum and want to spend time with you, is that okay?” All he could do was nod his head. “Good, I’ll text you where to go tomorrow, just be up by one, okay? Let’s go dance!”

“Wait, I have to introduce you to Zayn! It’s his party. Oi, Nialler!” Harry pulled Louis over to where the Irish boy sat, with a brunette at his side. “Where’s Zayn?”  
“Last I saw he was walking toward that door with someone.” Niall relayed to them surprisely coherently.  
“Come’n I bet ya it was Perrie, she has a thing for Zayn.” Louis followed Harry towards the stated door.  
“If Zayn is the person I saw with the giant, gold, birthday crown, I don’t think he reciprocates th- ” Harry opened the doorway to find said birthday boy, not with Perrie. Harry closed the door quickly.   
“Dammit. Liam said he would win.”   
“Win? What? I don’t. Nevermind. Can we dance now?”  
The rest of the night was a blur of dancing, blue shots, and Louis.   
When Harry awoke in Zayn’s flat the next day, sandwiched between a couch and a wall, it was to a very loud alarm on his phone immediately followed by a text from Louis.  
  
 _Wakey, wakey! There’s eggs and bacon for you in your kitchen. Take some painkillers and meet me at the downtown museum in an hour  :) x_  
  
~


End file.
